


Darkness Dies In The Light

by brokenhighways



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Crimes & Criminals, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, I'm Bad At Summaries, Light Angst, M/M, Newspapers, Secret Identity, Sex, Top Jensen, Vigilantism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2019-12-29
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:27:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22012567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brokenhighways/pseuds/brokenhighways
Summary: Jensen is an astute businessman by day and a superhero that dons a pair of black tights (and tries to get rid of all of the bad guys) by night. Things come to a head when a reporter for the local paper threatens to expose Jensen's extracurricular activities and he's forced to step out of his comfort zone and do whatever it takes to ensure that his secret is kept safe. (Batman AU).
Relationships: Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki
Comments: 12
Kudos: 88
Collections: SPN J2 Xmas Exchange





	Darkness Dies In The Light

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SamDreams](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SamDreams/gifts).



> Batman!AU, basically. 
> 
> Written for sam_dreams as part of the SPN/J2 Xmas Exchange - I hope that you enjoy this. I tried to incorporate some of your likes even though I was unable to write one of your prompts. I'm so sorry that it's late!
> 
> Happy Holidays & and I wish you (and everyone reading) the Happiest New Year <3

_ "Nine-one-one operator. What is your emergency?" _

_ "H-hi. I'm calling to report an attempted robbery." _

_ "Okay, ma'am. What's your location?" _

_ "Just outside Darktown Shopping Mall. Right by the entrance. Near the jeweler's place." _

_ "What's your full name?" _

_ "Shirley. Shirley Bass." _

_ "Okay, Shirley, help is on the way. Don't hang up." _

_ "Thank you! Honestly, I... I've never seen anything like this?" _

_ "Are you hurt?" _

_ "No, I'm fine. J-just shaken up." _

_ "Did you get a good look at whoever it was?" _

_ "Not really. This man. Or person. Thing. I don't know what it was. I guess this man emerged from the shadows and took them out." _

_ "Excuse me? Can you describe what this man looked like?" _

_ "...." _

_ "Ma'am?" _

_ "He looked like a damn superhero." _

_ "... a what?" _

_ "He had a cape. A-a-and a dark hood with a black eye mask. He was wearing this armoured heavyweightvblack suit with blue shoulder pads and blue and grey casing. It was surreal. Like something out of a movie." _

_ "I'll say. I'll be sure to pass the information about this Shadow Man on to the officers en route. Stay on the line for me, Shirley, okay?" _

* * *

**SHADOW-MAN REVEALED?**

_ For the past few years, Darktown City has been dealing with a masked vigilante known as Shadow-Man. He takes thugs off the streets... and adds more bills onto the city's budget spreadsheets. Attempts to take him in have been unsuccessful.  _

_ Maybe I can help... _

_ This week, I tracked Shadow-Man down to three locations, triangulated them and guess what lay right in the middle?  _

_ Ackles Manor.  _

_ Make of that what you will.  _

_ + _

Jensen Ackles throws the newspaper across the breakfast table and takes a bite of his soggy cereal. Apparently, being a billionaire has no effect on the lasting crunchiness of his bran flakes. Having a lot of money is a pain in the ass. It's not like he asked for any of this. 

He didn't ask for his parents to get murdered by some street thug when he was eight.

He didn't ask to inherit his father's company when he turned twenty-one. 

He didn't ask to be one of Darktown's most eligible and richest bachelors. 

He didn't ask for  _ any _ of this. 

However, he's determined to continue his parents' legacy while protecting the city he holds close to his heart. That means by day, he's an astute businessman and by night, he dons a pair of black tights and tries to get rid of all of the bad guys in town. 

"Well, sir," his butler, Timothy, says when Jensen's finished lamenting, "Might I suggest that you focus on what you do have and how to make the best of it."

Jensen clenches his jaw in an attempt to ward off his annoyance. "No, Timothy. I'd much rather wallow in self-pity. Why does this jackass keep on writing articles about me? Isn't my life hard enough?"

For the past few weeks a reporter named Jared Padalecki has been trying to reveal Shadow-Man's identity and he seems hell-bent on making people think it's Jensen. 

Padalecki writes the daily gossip column for the local paper, Darktown Herald, an easily digestible summary of what the latest vapid celebrities have been up to. Jensen's no stranger to gossip columns and blogs, but his alter ego Shadow-Man is. 

"Well, sir, maybe if you got out more, this...  _ reporter _ would have less to say about you potentially prancing around the city at night. Besides. It's not like he's printing lies. You are, in fact, Shadow-Man."

Timothy might be Jensen's right hand man, but his lack of sympathy is ever present. He's not in favour of Jensen embracing danger when he doesn't need to. He'll always be there to patch up any wounds Jensen suffers, but he doesn't mince his words. 

That's one of the reasons why he keeps Timothy around. Not just for his butler services, but because he's family and he will always have his back. 

Jensen finally gives up on his cereal and moves onto his coffee. It's a flat white with a dash of cinnamon spice, just the way he likes it. It keeps him alert and reminds him of happier times. 

It reminds him of  _ home _ . 

Laughing with his parents over large mugs of hot chocolate and marshmallows, sitting by the fireplace carefree like they had all the time in the world. 

If only they'd known. 

"Look, I don't have a life. I choose not to have one because I care too much about this town. Why can't people see that? What will take for people to stop seeing Shadow-Man as an enemy?"

Timothy shrugs. "I'm afraid I can't answer that, sir."

+

**SHADOW-MAN REVEALED?**

_ Today, I had a chat with some detectives from Darktown PD who told me that over the past six months, our amazing hero has caused over FOUR MILLION DOLLARS worth of damage. Guess the WinG-Wagon (Shadow-Man's preferred method of transportation) isn't so cool after all?  _

_ Luckily, our resident billionaire Jensen Ackles gave the city council large donation for the sum of... you guessed it - FOUR MILLION DOLLARS!  _

_ Coincidence? You tell me.  _

+

Jensen's lost count of the number of events he's asked to attend per month. If it isn't related to his business or the Ackles Foundation, he signs a check for a generous amount and keeps it moving. That's all most people want from him - money. 

This evening's event is no different. Darktown's Chambers of Commerce is honouring local entrepreneurs and Jensen is the guest of honour. He's been the 'guest of honour' for most of the past five years. Everyone approaches him with dollar signs in their eyes and false smiles. He smiles back and if his business manager permits, forks over the money to nameless people that he'll never cross paths with again. 

Jensen hates it, but he's a businessman first and foremost. He has to network, has to show that he's not above the pretentiousness of it all. 

"Ah, if it isn't Mr Shadow-Man in the flesh." 

Jensen looks up to see his former friend Michael Rosenbaum heading his way. He's surprised that Rosenbaum is even here given the scandal he's been mired in. A mistress who embezzled most of his fortune. It's no wonder that he seems so gleeful about Jensen's situation. The media have had their feet on his neck for so long now that Jensen almost feels bad for him. 

Almost. 

"Mikey. Shouldn't you be begging your wife for forgiveness now?" 

Mike smiles, a cold twist of thin lips as his bald head gleams under the fluorescent lighting. "Kristen and I have gone our separate ways. I'm sure you're happy to hear that."

Rumor has it that once upon a time, Jensen had a thing for Mike's wife. What people don't know is that he never did. If anything, he was into her  _ brother  _ more, not that Mike ever took his head out of his ass long enough to realise. 

"I don't really care."

"Let me guess, you're too busy saving the city. What happened? You forget your tights tonight?"

Jensen swallows hard and smiles carefully. "You shouldn't believe everything you read."

Mike steps forward, close enough that Jensen can smell the peppermint and champagne on his breath. "Don't forget that I've known you for a long time Jensen. A very long time."

Long before they became enemies, Mike was around when Jensen spoke of turning the city around some day. He knows how far Jensen will go to make good on his goals. 

Jensen takes a step back, remaining close enough that no one can overhear what he says next. "What do you want? Money?"

Mike scoffs, like it's ludicrous that anyone would offer him anything. "I have enough of my own, thanks. All I want is for you to be careful. You need to shut down that reporter before he causes you any more problems. People talk."

With that, Mike turns on his heel and walks away, leaving Jensen to deal with his growing dilemma on his own.

+

**SHADOW-MAN REVEALED?**

_ Last night was the Darktown Chambers of Commerce Entrepreneurial Awards. Our local and friendly billionaire Jensen Ackles was in attendance but reports say he was frostier than usual. _

_ Particularly after he stepped out to 'answer a phone call'.  _

_ Maybe the two armed robbers Shadow-Man interrupted halfway through the event had something to do with it?  _

+

With Mike's warning ringing loudly in his ears and yet another article published, Jensen's hand is finally pushed. 

"Timothy, I need you to call Darktown Herald and get me a sit down with Jared Padalecki. I need to know what his deal is."

Jensen's not a saint; he's not above threatening people to get what he wants. However, that was the Jensen of the past. These days he's trying to be better. He wants to be someone his parents would have been proud of, wants to make up for some of the mistakes he's made.

That means that he needs to  _ talk  _ to Padalecki. 

Timothy arches one of his perfectly sculpted eyebrows. "Or maybe you want to give him a dose of the Clownster's happy gas?"

Jensen levels Timothy with a dark look. "Don't even joke about that maniac. I'm still getting hourly updates from Impala Asylum... and getting over our last battle."

"Yes, if I recall correctly, he kicked your ass, sir."

He might not be the hero Darktown wants, but he's not short of arch nemeses.

His battle with The Clownster has been long and tiring and he's glad for the respite even though he knows that it won't be forever. 

Besides, there was an unfair advantage last time they encountered each other.

Jensen levels Timothy with a blank stare. "In my defense, I was  _ sick _ ."

"Something that you knew before you decided to go out and fight him."

Jensen shakes his head. He's not going to win  _ this _ battle. The main thing is that one more bad guy is off the streets. His current problem is this Herald reporter who won't leave him alone.

Jensen doesn't consider Jared Padalecki his enemy just yet. Right now, he's a minor inconvenience. After spending the past two nights in his underground facility, he knows exactly how to get to Padalecki. 

Jensen knows how to deal with the worst of people, charming an underpaid reporter shouldn't be too hard. 

Not when he has deep pockets. 

"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. The surveillance footage you requested is available."

It takes Jensen a moment to remember that he's in the middle of investigating the strange murders of fishermen down at the docks. Three have died in gruesome circumstances and last time he spoke to Commissioner Johnson, the investigation was treading water. 

"Thank you, Timothy. I'll have to get to it once I've dealt with Padalecki."

"Very well, sir."

+

Padalecki is half an hour late to their meeting. 

It's not often Jensen is kept waiting and he finds that he doesn't like it. It makes him feel like Padalecki  _ already  _ has the upper hand. 

He's booked a nice suite suite at The Atlantis Vista Hotel, Darktown's most prestigious lodgings, so they can be comfortable and maintain privacy. From his research, he knows that Padalecki has a sweet tooth and he instructs room service to bring platters of freshly baked goods. He even brings a  _ damn  _ gift bag full of the latest Ackles Enterprises swag - handmade cufflinks, expensive Bluetooth speakers and whatever else Jensen's company uses to sweet talk his investors. 

He's expecting this meeting to be straightforward. He tells Padalecki to stop writing about him, Padalecki says yes and Jensen rewards him. 

After waiting for an additional fifteen minutes, Jensen retrieves his sleek iPhone from his pocket and pulls up Timothy's text chain. 

_ He's not here.  _

There's a few seconds before his phone buzzes. 

_ What a shame.  _

Jensen grits his teeth at the mere image of Timothy's knowing smirk. 

When Padalecki arrives, Jensen realises he's in trouble. The Facebook picture didn't do him any justice. He's  _ tall _ and slim, with floppy chestnut coloured hair and almond-shaped blue-green eyes that seem troubled and amused at the same time. His chiseled jaw accentuates his warm, golden-brown skin.

He's wearing a slim fit denim shirt with buttoned cuffs and olive pants that hug his form in all the right places. He's  _ much  _ more attractive than Jensen was anticipating and suddenly, his dry spell is at the forefront of his mind.

Padalecki smiles when Jensen closes the door behind him, twin dimples appearing before he's even prepared for them. Jensen feels something swoop in his stomach and he knows that he's not going to be as unaffected as he normally is. 

"Mr. Padalecki, thank you for meeting me here today. Help yourself to whatever you want."

Padalecki glances at the table of desserts idly before he turns back to Jensen.

"Oh please, call me Jared. And I'll pack a to-go plate when we're done. I don't think you want me getting crumbs all over this fancy hotel."

It takes every ounce of energy Jensen has not to react to that. 

"Nice of you to show up," Jensen mutters once he's shown  _ Padalecki _ over to the sitting area. He set the bar too low with the pastries, he realises. He should have ordered a full course meal and had someone on hand to serve it to Padalecki. 

"Sorry," Padalecki says with a nonchalant shrug. "Had to get the bus. I'm pretty sure the driver was high. It was an eventful journey."

Jensen raises an eyebrow. "I didn't realise the buses still ran this far into town."

He's spent most of his day deciding if he's going to invest in a new ridesharing service specifically because public transport in Darktown is so poor. 

Padalecki is quick on the mark with his response. "Yet you made such a generous donation to the transportation department last month."

Jensen blinks. Truth be told, he has a whole team of people who handle that stuff. He cares about Darktown, but he's only human. There's only so much he can monitor on his own. 

"You seem to know a lot about me. Do I need to tell my security team to be on the lookout?" 

Jensen's not being arrogant; he has another team of people that deal with his obsessive fans. The letters, emails and worst of all - the gifts. 

Padalecki leans back onto the plush leather couch and smiles. "It's my job to be in the know."

"Really?" Jensen snorts. "How much are they paying you? A buck forty five an hour?"

"Hey, a man's gotta eat, right?" Padalecki's smile is gleaming like he's just hit the jackpot. 

Jensen hates himself for being turned on by Padalecki's laid back charm. 

Fortunately for him, two can play that game. 

"Is that why you've been taking such an...  _ interest _ in me. Have to say... You've certainly caught my attention."

This time, Jensen makes sure he holds Padalecki's gaze before he twists his lips into a seductive smile. He might be rusty, but this is his forte. He's good at getting people to do what he wants. 

Padalecki straightens slightly, his face morphing into a serious expression."I know what this is. This is the part where you threaten me with lawyers. Tell me to shut up or you'll make me."

Jensen adjusts his tie and places a leg over his knees, deliberately mimicking Padalecki's relaxed position.

"That's not my style. Truth be told, I'd much rather have a good time with you. Let you into my world. Most people are too scared to go up against me, but you... you don't care. I like it. Shows that you have…"

Jensen makes a point of looking him up and down. 

"... balls."

For the first time, Padalecki looks ruffled, like he's not sure what he's gotten himself into. "Are you hitting on me?"

Jensen clasps his hands together and leans back. "Why would you think that?"

"You have a certain reputation," Jared says, eyebrow raised like he's unimpressed by what he's seeing. "Billionaire playboy. Heartbreaker extraordinaire. Different girl every night. You know, the perfect cliché."

Rumours have swirled for years, but Jensen's made it a point to never publicly date anyone. Clearly Jared doesn't know as much as he thinks. Jensen's publicist manages his image very carefully. He hasn't been pictured with anyone unrelated to his business ventures in  _ years.  _ Not since his return to Darktown. 

Jensen raises an eyebrow. "You seem to be aware of all my business. Have you  _ seen _ me with anyone else?"

"No, but--"

Jensen cuts him off quickly. "--but nothing. We've got the room for as long as I want it. I'm here. Listening to you. Seems crazy to waste such a beautiful opportunity."

"If you want me to stop writing the articles, you can say so, but I'm not doing anything with you."

Jensen leans in closely, noticing the way Padalecki's throat convulses. "All I want to do is  _ talk _ , although, it seems like your mind is elsewhere."

Jared responds with a glassy stare that displays his irritation.

"You know, every article I've written has been pure speculation. Now I'm not sure. Maybe you  _ are  _ Shadow-Man."

Jensen's surprised to hear that Jared doesn't have any actual proof that he's Shadow-Man and he slowly realises that this sit down wasn't the best idea. 

Still, he's not about to show Padalecki that he's bothered. 

"Like anybody would ever believe that  _ I'm _ Shadow-Man. I'm a billionaire. I don't have to do a damn thing if I don't want to. Why would I prance around the city at night when I want for nothing in life?"

Jared tilts his head to the side, with his face scrunched up in thought. "Prove that you're not."

"How?" Jensen asks. "How would I prove that I'm not this... masked vigilante running around the streets of Darktown."

Jared looks flummoxed briefly before he says, "I want to see you and him in the same room at the same time."

Jensen scoffs and shakes his head. "What would that prove?"

Padalecki shrugs nonchalantly, like he's not just spent ten minutes going back and forth with him. "I don't know, but imagine this for my next article - Jensen Ackles tried to seduce me. What does he have to hide?"

Truth be told  _ that  _ would be better for his business than being outed as Shadow-Man. However, Jensen's not interested in being splashed over the centrefold of broadsheet that's all but dead in the water. 

There's no value in that. 

He decides to drop all pretense. "What do you want? Money? Fame? I can't have your baseless accusations screwing up future business deals for my company. You think my investors love the idea of me running around town in tights?"

Jared swallows audibly, his bravado finally faltering just when Jensen decides to cave in. "I don't want anything. I mean. Well. I want a better job. Exposing Shadow-Man would get me that."

Jensen wants to laugh, but he refrains because there's nothing funny about any of this.

"I'll give you a damn job if you stop writing those articles."

Jared seems sceptical, however, he leans forward with interest. "Job doing what?"

"Anything you want."

"Can I think about it?" Jared asks like being offered a job by a  _ billionaire _ is a daily occurrence for him. 

Jensen looks him in the eye, voice low and steady when he says, "Only if you promise not to write anymore articles."

+

**SHADOW-MAN REVEALED?!**

_ I had an interesting day yesterday.  _

_ I sat down with none other than Jensen Ackles. He seemed upset that I'd picked him as a contender.  _

_ However... _

_ He didn't admit to being Shadow-Man, but he didn't deny it either.  _

_ I'm reminded of a particular phrase…. _

_ Those who scream the loudest usually have the most to hide…. _

+

Jensen invites Jared to the hotel  _ again _ because he apparently wasn't stern enough during their previous meeting. Timothy thinks that Jensen was naive to think that Jared would hold up his end of the bargain. 

Jensen doesn't give a shit. 

In  _ his  _ world, word is everything and there are dire consequences when its broken.

When Jared shows up, he's grinning like the cat that caught the canary. Jensen wants to laugh because they're not in battle here, this is just pre-match and that's only because Jensen doesn't believe in using his wealth to destroy people. 

"I was surprised to hear from you." Jared's tone is almost aloof, like  _ he's _ irritated with Jensen somehow. "Especially after the article I wrote."

Jensen's thought about this long enough to know that he's not going to show that he's ruffled. He's going to play Jared at his own pathetic game. 

He loosens his and relaxes his posture, ignoring the way the leather couch squeaks in protest beneath him. 

"Like I said, not many people stand up to me. It's kind of a turn on. It's just a shame that I didn't get to 'scream' for real yesterday."

_ Never let them see you sweat,  _ Jensen thinks,  _ the supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting _ .

Unlike most, Jensen's studied Sun Tzu's literature closely. 

He knows what he's doing. 

Padalecki's face twists into a grimace. "Stop it."

"Stop what?" Jensen says, making sure his face is full of nothing but innocence. 

"Trying to charm me," Jared retorts with a displeased expression spreading across his face. "It's not going to work. I'm not one of your…fans, or whatever. I'm not interested in that."

There's a hint of fear in Jared's eyes that piques Jensen's curiosity.

"Yet, here you are. Why did you come? After all you wrote another article and nothing happened. Why meet me here?"

Jared purses his lips, like he thinks that Jensen's aggravating him on purpose. "You asked me to. Remember?"

It makes little sense, but that's not Jensen's problem. 

Jensen leans back in his seat and crosses his arms. "You broke your promise, Jared." 

Just like that, the smirk reappears, thin lips curling up with sheer bravado. 

"Sorry, but I didn't make any promises," Jared says, his tone apologetic, even though his face says something else entirely. "Hopefully one day you can forgive me. Or, you know, destroy my life for exposing you. Whatever."

The sheer audacity of Jared's unflinching response takes Jensen from zero to a hundred rather quickly.

"You're a smartass, you know that? A smug, arrogant smartass who won't win this battle."

Jared glances at his watch pointedly. "You're just mad that you can't buy me off.  _ You're _ Shadow-Man and I'm not going to stop until I prove it. No matter how much of my time you waste."

"Why do you care so much?" Jensen's gone over it in his mind several times. Why would a lowly paid reporter be  _ so  _ interested in exposing him that a better job isn't enticing enough? 

Jared's quiet then, like the wind has been knocked out of his sails. 

"It doesn't matter."

His voice is barely a whisper, a stark contrast to the arrogance from a few minutes ago. 

"It matters to me, Jared. Matters to my business."

Jared extends his hands and his shoulders rise like he's indirectly saying  _ so what _ ?

"It's just  _ gossip.  _ Entertainment. My editors love the response it's gotten. I can't just  _ stop  _ writing it. Unless you have someone else I can look into."

Michael Rosenbaum pops into Jensen's mind. Before his acrimonious divorce, he had enough money to rival Jensen's title as the richest man in Darktown and he was investing heavily in technology. 

However, despite their differences Jensen can't do it. 

Besides, Jared's clearly lying about his interest in Shadow-Man not being important.

There's definitely a reason that  _ does _ matter, but Jensen knows that he has to change his tactics. Jared's not going to crumble easily. 

"Wanna grab lunch tomorrow?" Jensen asks while he's flipping through his calendar on his phone. He's got a lunch meeting with a tech company, but they will deal with his absence. 

"What?" The question catches Jared by surprise. "No. Yes. I don't know."

Jensen reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a crisp business card. 

"Here's my number. Call if you finally pick an answer." 

Jared leaves without indicating if he'll show up. 

+

**SHADOW-MAN REVEALED?!**

_ Yesterday evening, two muggers were apprehended at approximately midnight.  _

_ Jensen Ackles was nowhere to be seen and according to my sources, there was no activity at his mansion. The lights were out.  _

_ Maybe he's an early sleeper? _

+

Jensen meets Jared for lunch at an upscale bistro that stands out in the harsh grey of Darktown's streets. Even the wealthiest areas have a layer of morose coating them, like a thick stench caused by all the corruption and crime. 

Jared's waiting at a corner table when Jensen arrives.

"I take it you read my article," Jared says in lieu of a greeting. "I'm surprised you answered when I called."

Jensen's not determined how Jared's been tracking Shadow-Man, but he assumes he's using one of the many online groups dedicated to tracking his whereabouts. 

Jensen snorts. "If you can call it that. It's not exactly highbrow journalism. Gotta read something while I'm taking a dump."

Jared's response is a humourless chuckle followed by: "So, where were you last night?"

There's a brief pause in the conversation when a waitress stops by to take their orders. She eyes Jensen with interest, but stops short of being anything other than professional. Jensen makes a note to tip her twice as much as he usually would. Given his current problem, he's all for discretion. 

"To answer your question, I went to bed at ten pm, like any other respectable adult," he says when they're alone again.

"Sure you did," Jared says, although, the disbelief is bright in his eyes. "Beauty sleep and all that. Although, I'm curious. I only ever see you going to charity events or business related functions. What do you  _ do  _ when you're not working?"

"Am I on the record?" Jensen asks.

Apparently, he needs to make sure that he's not just in case this turns into a legal matter, not that he intends to let anything slip.

There are too many shadows in his past that he can't afford to bring to light. 

Jared shrugs. "I'd  _ love  _ to interview you, but weirdly enough, I think people like the intrigue."

"There's nothing intriguing about me. I go to work and when I'm done, I go home. I lead a simple life."

"Come on. You're a billionaire. You have a private jet. The world is _literally_ your oyster and you just... sit at home by yourself? Seems a little lonely."

Jared's right, life  _ is  _ lonely, but since Jensen made the decision to spend his evenings in the underbelly of Darktown, he's come to terms with it. Loneliness he can deal with. 

Idleness is what gets to him.

He can no longer sit by and watch his city fall to pieces around him. 

"I grew up alone, Jared. No parents, no family, nothing. Barely had any friends. What you consider lonely is my  _ normal.  _ I'm more than happy to keep myself company."

Jared is slow to answer, choosing to stare at Jensen silently. Jensen chews on his ham and cheese panini defiantly, almost daring Jared to make one of his outrageous remarks. 

"There are so many people who would _ kill  _ for your wealth and you just... keep yourself company?"

Jensen swallows his food and clears his throat. "I'm a  _ businessman  _ not a valid celebrity. I don't need to sell myself to get shit done."

"Fair enough. I guess I wouldn't know. I was surrounded by people when I was growing up. Had the opposite issue you did. I felt like I was lost in a sea of voices."

Jensen laughs. "You're definitely not lost anymore. I'm hearing you loud and clear."

"Can I ask you something?" Jared's voice is low and he's fidgeting, nervous energy pouring off him in waves. "It's nothing to do with Shadow-Man."

"What is it?"

Jared clears his throat and dabs a napkin to his mouth. "So, there's a movie coming out tomorrow that I want to see. Wanna come with?"

Jensen blinks at him. "Are you asking me out?"

Jared's face takes on a distinctly rosier shade, like he's embarrassed by his own words. "You just said that you don't have any friends. So. Yeah. I'm asking you out on a pity date. It's the least I can do."

Jared's face belies his words, but Jensen's oddly touched that Jared's asking him to do something. It should feel patronising and wrong, yet... Jensen can't think of anything else he'd rather do. 

He says yes. 

+

It's been a long time since Jensen's been to a movie theater and sat on uncomfortable seats and handled greasy cup holders, yet here he is. 

With  _ Jared _ . 

After their heartfelt conversation at the bistro, Jared insisted that he treat Jensen to a night out within his budget. According to him, it was a toss up between bowling or the movies. Of course, Jensen can't take any chances, so he's in a fake moustache with a baseball cap shoved on his head. 

"Is the disguise really necessary? You made sure that I got us the VIP seats. No one else in this town is crazy enough to pay for them. In fact, no one else can  _ afford _ to pay for them _. _ "

"Dude, shut up, the commercials are about to start."

Jared gives him a look but he acquiesces and relaxes into his seat. They sit through three similar looking action movies that are all  **COMING THIS WINTER** before it happens. 

Jensen goes to grab some salted caramel popcorn (which they're sharing) and his fingers tangle with Jared's. He feels it instantly, a warm body tingle that he hardly ever gets. 

It hits him then that he's on a stupid  _ date  _ with this guy, just to... prove that he's not Shadow-Man. 

_ Liar.  _

Jensen ignores the voice in his head and extracts his hand quickly. "Sorry."

"Don't be," Jared says without missing a beat. "You have nice hands."

That breaks the tension. 

"Smooth, Padalecki. Real smooth. You know maybe this was your plan all along. Get my attention. Seduce me and charm your way into my life."

Jared's smile doesn't reach his eyes and once again Jensen is struck with an odd sensation. The one that says something isn't quite right and he needs to be careful. 

"In your dreams, Ackles. In your dreams."

+

Later, they're walking through town once the movie is over and Jared asks him about his life. Jensen starts at the beginning, skips the part where he left Darktown for six years to 'find himself' and ends with where he is today. 

Jared frowns when he's done and says, "What I don't understand is why you didn't pack up and leave. It's not like Darktown is a land of opportunity."

Of course, he  _ did  _ leave, but he's not going to tell Jared that. He's not going to tell anyone who doesn't already know. His years away from Darktown are full of pain, suffering and  _ limited _ triumph. He did things that he's not proud of and fell into a crowd almost as bad as the lowlife in Darktown. 

He no longer recognises who he was then, just who he is now.

Jensen scratches his cheek idly. "I beg to differ. There's so much potential in this city. Plus, this is my home. This is where I belong."

"Are you sure about that?" Jared asks. "Do you really feel safe here or is there a car parked somewhere waiting to take you home."

Jensen laughs gently because Jared will never understand that it's not about  _ safety _ , not really. 

"If you were worth two hundred billion dollars, would you  _ walk  _ home?"

"Fair enough." 

"If you need me to pay for  _ your  _ Uber, just say the word," Jensen says. "You don't have to take digs at me because I've got money. I can guarantee you I've heard it all before."

Jared holds his hands up in apology. "I'm sorry. I promise not to make any more snide remarks. It's just that this was my treat, right? Yet you upgraded our seats and also insisted we buy snacks... that you also paid for. I guess I'm in my feelings a little."

At first, Jensen thinks Jared's being facetious. It's not until he sees the disappointment etched on his face that he realises Jared is serious. He's upset that Jensen steamrolled over his plans. 

Jensen looks down at the grey sidewalk slabs and hides a smile. "Sounds like you still owe me an all expenses paid pity date then."

+

**SHADOW-MAN REVEALED?!**

_ According to Forbes Annual Income List, Jensen Ackles is worth two hundred billion dollars.  _

_ According to Darktown's Average Household Income statistics, the average worker makes sixty thousand dollars ($60,000) a year.  _

_ Ask yourself this... Who else could afford to take on criminals and build so many fancy gadgets? Who else has the financial freedom to take matters into their own hands? _

_ Who else? _

+

Timothy is casually flipping through the paper when Jensen stumbles into the kitchen two hours later than usual. The Ackles Enterprises board hastily arranged a video conference call to discuss Jared's latest article and all he's left with is a headache and promises he can't keep. 

_ I'll handle it.  _

That's what he told them nothing less than  _ six  _ times, but the board don't seem convinced. 

"Everything alright, sir? You're up later than usual."

"No shit, Timothy. Thanks to Jared, I spent most of my morning convincing my board of executives  _ not  _ to destroy his life."

Timothy raises an eyebrow. "Yet he seems hell-bent on destroying yours."

Jensen's hands pause above his bowl and twice as much bran flakes spill out of the box. "I thought you were Team Jared."

Timothy pours coffee into Jensen's mug and sets it on the breakfast table, carefully rearranging the milk and sugar before he answers. 

"I've not seen you like this for some time, Jensen. There's life in your eyes and you seem... relaxed, but... maybe I was wrong. Perhaps Mr Padalecki  _ is _ a threat to your safety."

Jensen grabs the milk and pours a healthy amount over his cereal. "He's just doing his job, and I can't stop him. That doesn't mean he's endangering my safety. After all... nobody has any proof that I'm Shadow-Man."

Jensen has no idea why he's defending Jared, but he doesn't back down from his stance. 

Timothy regards him carefully before he answers with his customary "Very well, sir."

+

It's not easy being around Jared after another article is released, yet, Jensen finds himself making plans with him. 

The board of his company would go apeshit if they found out... but they answer to him, not the other way around. 

"Might I suggest that you  _ like  _ the young man?" 

Timothy is unhelpful as always. 

"You  _ might  _ not," Jensen snaps. "This is all just part of the plan."

"Playing laser tag with the reporter who's trying to expose you? Sounds like an unnecessarily elaborate plan."

"Oh, shut up, Timothy. Don't you have some ironing to do?"

Timothy's laughter echoes down the hallway. 

+

"My butler was amused by your choice of activity," Jensen says when they're strapping their gear on at the laser tag place.

Apparently, they're up against some high schoolers here on a birthday party, a fact that makes Jensen query if he's actually living in a Inception-esque reality where nothing is real. 

Jared laughs. "Tell  _ Alfred _ that laser tag is for  _ all  _ ages."

"His name is Timothy, actually."

"Whatever you say,  _ Batman _ ."

The game starts shortly after and Jensen quickly realises two things - Jared's watching him closely every time he aims  _ and  _ they're definitely going to be beaten by a bunch of teenagers. 

+

Jared treats Jensen to ice cream after they lose in spectacular fashion. 

(Jared was extremely bad at shooting and Jensen had no choice but to pretend to be worse. It wasn't a pretty sight.)

He opts for vanilla while Jensen orders two scoops of bubblegum flavoured ice cream.

Jared's brows are raised in question when the cashier goes into the back to get their orders and they head over to one of the booths. 

"It was my father's favourite... I remember one year, my mom went apeshit because we snuck a carton out of the freezer and ate it during a Miami Vice marathon. She was so mad... and all we could do was sit there and try not to laugh. We failed miserably."

The memory plays in his mind like it was yesterday and his heart pangs painfully, desperate for it to last so he can be with his parents for a second longer.

Naturally, Jared ruins the moment with one of his judgemental remarks. 

"What would your parents say if they knew how you lived? That you stayed cooped up in Ackles Manor and worked whenever you weren't there."

This isn't the first time Jared's asked about his parents, but Jensen wishes it would be the last. 

It's an insensitive question and it  _ hurts  _ because he thinks about it every day. Especially in light of everything he's done. The dark, ugly secrets that he keeps hidden away from everyone in his world. 

They might not be proud of who he was, but he likes to think they'd be proud of who he is now.

Either way, it's none of Jared's business. 

The server comes over with their containers of ice cream and Jensen thanks them quietly before he looks at Jared and answers his question. 

"I think that my parents would be proud of me for not punching you in the face."

Jared's visibly taken aback by the sharpness of Jensen's words, eyes wide when he says, "It was just a question."

"It was another  _ dig, _ " Jensen snaps, "and you know better than to use my parents to make one."

"It wasn't a dig - I'm sorry if it came out that way, it's just that... you had fun today. You definitely held back, but... in all the time we've been hanging out, I've never seen that side of you. Carefree, laughing and... just relaxed. I just thought that they'd want you to be happy and not... broody, you know?"

Jared seems genuine and Jensen regrets his harsh words. It's difficult to see Jared as a  _ friend _ , especially when he's so used to dealing with enemies. 

In Jensen's world friends are the people who end up being his worst enemies. 

That's why he has very little friends and a lot of enemies.

"Jared, you've been writing articles about me for months. None of them have been favourable and now you expect me to believe that you give a shit what my  _ parents  _ would think?"

Jared swirls his plastic spoon in his container and looks down, biting his bottom lip slightly. He drops the spoon after a few seconds and looks back up with an apologetic shrug. "Maybe I misjudged you."

"Does that mean I won't wake up to another article?"

Jared doesn't answer and Jensen realises how  _ stupid  _ this is. He's like a lovesick teenager, constantly hoping his crush will stop being a jackass. 

"I think this needs to be our last hangout. If you have something you need to say to me, you know where to reach me, but I'm done. I can't do this anymore." 

"Jensen, wait... I'm sorry, okay? I can't just stop doing my job."

Jensen smiles weakly. "Right. Gotta make your buck forty five, no matter what?"

"We can't all be billionaires," Jared murmurs because that's what it comes down to. 

Jared sees Jensen for what he  _ has  _ and not who he is. 

He always will. 

+

Jensen's attending a local town hall meeting when a haggard looking man approaches him. There's a wild look in his eyes and his right hand is stuffed into his pocket. His business advisor's words echo in his brain.

_ Is it really wise for a billionaire to turn up at a local town meeting? Is it safe? _

Jensen recalls dismissing them because he genuinely wants to help and listening to the people of Darktown is the best way he can do that. 

This questionable looking man isn't going to stop him. 

Jensen remains on high alert when the man stops directly in front of him and jabs a finger towards his face.

"For  _ weeks  _ that asshole down at the docks has been pushing us around and you ain't done nothing. That prick Shadow-Man ain't done nothing either. Maybe you  _ are  _ him. Maybe you're not. Either way, what are you going to do?"

Jensen's aware of the situation and has been investigating and slowly planning his attack, but he won't lie. 

He's been distracted by floppy brown hair and dimples attached to an infectious grin. 

Still, Jensen does his best to placate the man. "Look, sir, please leave your details and I'll personally contact your local precinct to find out what they can do."

The man steps forward and Jensen can smell his sour breath. He stands his ground and meets the man's eyes. All he sees see two pools of stormy grey, because it's clear that this man is _drunk._ It occurs to him that this man is not really the kind of citizen that cares about a small town hall meeting like this. 

"How did you know that I'd be here?" 

Jensen already knows the answer, but he has to hear it out loud for it to be real. 

"Read in the paper that you'd be here," the man growls before stepping forward, giving Jensen another opportunity to take in the rancid smell surrounding him. "Came to sort you out."

Jensen hears the gasps before he sees the glint of a blade.

"Sir, put that away, please. There are  _ children  _ here."

The man's shaky hands hold up the knife and he inches closer, enough that Jensen can see the handle. "You're Shadow-Man, aren't you? You's a hero. You'll save them."

The thing is that right now - Jensen's not a hero.

He's just a regular person. 

He can't kick this guy's ass because it would mean ruining everything he's sacrificed.

+

**SHADOW-MAN REVEALED?!**

_ Jensen Ackles was apprehended at that local town hall meeting I mentioned yesterday.  _

_ He had security deal with the trouble... _

_... probably because there were too many witnesses around. _

+

Jared's already at the hotel when Jensen arrives. After what went down at the meeting, Jensen asked that he be here. He didn't realise that Jared would be so callous and post  _ another  _ article about the situation. 

He's even more incensed when he reaches the room and smells something  _ divine _ . Jensen's a strictly one meal a day man, but he's only human. 

Jared's got an empty plate in front of him and he has the nerve to greet Jensen casually, like he almost didn't get him  _ killed  _ with his reckless words.

"I ordered room service when I got here. I was fucking starving, man. Hope you don't mind. They said that I didn't owe anything."

Jensen minds, he minds a  _ whole  _ lot. "So you're not above charity after all?"

Jared's face slowly morphs into a frown. "Fuck you, Ackles. You're no better than me. None of what you have was yours to begin with. You didn't earn it."

"I'd think carefully about my next words, or I'll be the one writing your next article. PADALECKI REVEALED? Disgraced reporter thrown out of hotel in broad daylight."

Jared's nostrils flare, his voice thick when indignation when he says,"You wouldn't."

"Try me."

Tension crackles in the air and Jensen clears his throat. "You know what? I'm going to go. Order whatever else you want. That's all I'm good for, right? Money. You've made that crystal clear."

He turns around and heads toward the door, but Jared stops him. 

"Wait. Wait, dammit. I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I'm just frustrated is all. That was my last article for The Herald and I'm just pissed. They fired me."

"Oh, did they?" Jensen wishes they'd done more than that. 

"You don't sound surprised. Maybe you had something to do with it."

Jensen turns around and glares at him. "If I had that much power you wouldn't have written  _ any  _ of the articles, let alone been fired upon my orders."

"I believe you," Jared says, like Jensen's supposed to give a shit. "And you know, I get why they fired me. I'm endangering your life. I mean, Shadow-Man has enemies and I--look, I'm sorry."

_ Shadow-Man has enemies.  _

That's true, but what does Jared know about that?

"I don't give a shit if you believe me. Spare me the bullshit. You didn't care before. You don't care now. I can take care of myself, Jared."

"Can you? You sit up in the huge mansion and waste away. You're not living life for  _ you _ , but for other people. This city doesn't deserve you. Or Shadow-Man."

"You're right. It deserves  _ more. _ Darktown needs more than one guy that gives a shit. We  _ all  _ need to. We all need to do better."

Jared stands up from the couch and shakes his head. "You're like a mindless robot. What the fuck has this city done for you?"

"My parents built a legacy here. They loved Darktown flaws and all. I do too. It's in my blood."

"You're full of shit."

" _ You're  _ full of shit."

Jensen's not sure who moves first, but he finds himself with a fist full of cotton and Jared's lips on his own, kissing him so hard that he feels it down to his toes. Jared pulls away long enough to tug Jensen's jacket off, dropping it to the floor unceremoniously Before Jensen can process what's happening, large hands are splayed over his chest and he's undoing buttons on Jared's shirt. 

Images flash in his mind of the man at the town hall meeting and the way time froze when he saw the glint of the knife. 

Suddenly, it's all  _ too  _ real.

"Jared, wait... stop. I can't do this. I can't--"

He can't let himself go, can't go there with someone he might fall for. 

Not when he has so much to do. 

Not when Jared's one of those friends who's really his enemy. 

He scoops his jacket up from the floor and turns to leave once again. 

"Wait!" Jared calls out, but this time there's no looking back. 

+

Jensen's in the middle of reviewing a financial forecast when his phone rings. He glances at the silver chrome clock that sits on the wall facing him. 

It reads four fifty-two. That means that whoever it is has eight minutes to tell him what they want before he's off the clock. Although, he's sure that he knows who it is and he doesn't really need to wait until five. 

He's his own boss after all. 

Jared's been calling all day and Jensen's answer has been the same.

Silence.

Unfortunately, Jared catches up with Jensen eventually in the parking lot not long after he calls. 

"They wouldn't let me wait inside so I chose the next best place," Jared says.

Jensen walks past him, quickening his step when Jared follows behind him. 

"I'll be sure to step up parking lot security. Apparently, they're not good at spotting unwelcome visitors."

"Jensen, talk to me. Please."

They're by Jensen's sleek Aston Martin, an ostentatious ride that he drives to keep up with appearances. 

"We don't have anything to talk about, Jared."

Jared steps closer and lowers his voice. "We kissed and you don't think there's anything to talk about?"

"This isn't high school, Jared. You really came all this way over a kiss?"

It's not like Jensen's replayed said kiss a thousand times in his mind and even if he has, he's only human. 

That doesn't mean that there's anything left to discuss. 

"Jensen, c'mon, we're friends, right? Despite  _ everything _ we're friends and you have to know that I'd never knowingly try to jeopardise your well-being."

Jensen releases a deep breath, suddenly exhausted by the conversation. "I don't know that. I don't know you. We've both been playing games with each other."

Jared reaches out to touch Jensen's hand, just a slight shiver across his knuckles before he pulls away again. "Even if that's true, that was then. What happens now?"

"Now? It's game over."

Jensen turns away from Jared and gets into his car. 

He peels off without so much as a second glance. 

+

  
  


Without Jared distracting him Jensen realises that he's got a whole bunch of Ostrich sightings to document and piece together. He's been picking off her network one by one, but he's hoping to bag the woman himself. 

Most people think that Ostrich is a man, but after hours of sleuthing, Jensen discovered that Ostrich was actually Dawn Ostroff. Owner of Darktown's biggest grocery store chain. She owns one of the last major companies in the city that hasn't withered away into nothingness. 

After putting together a comprehensive list of Ostrich sightings and cross referencing them with Dawn's schedule, he realises that  _ he  _ needs to be better at covering his own tracks. Jared was just one person - there may be more people ready to expose him waiting in the wings.

He can't allow that to happen. 

With that in mind, he schedules a few tweets and Instagram posts before he leaves to catch up with Ostrich late in the evening. He takes his sleek, black WinG-Wagon, revelling in how smooth the ride is. One day he's going to give in and fully appreciate some of his gadgetry, but now he needs to focus on getting rid of one more dangerous criminal in Darktown. 

He parks the car in an underground tunnel and approaches the location on foot. It's an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town. Darktown is still recovering from the financial crisis of '08 and that's given rise to many buildings like this. Dilapidated, decrepit and an excellent place for criminals like Ostrich to set up shop. 

Jensen's trying to locate a side entrance when he hears a scuffle behind him. Instinctively, he runs toward it, eyes narrowing when he sees a group of thugs attacking a figure on the ground. He sprints towards them, his black cape flowing behind him like a wave of travelling shadows.

"Break it up  _ now _ ," he growls in tandem with pulling the first guy off and delivering a swift uppercut to his jaw. The second guy darts towards Jensen and is apprehended with a throat punch that leaves him wheezing badly before he collapses onto the ground. The third guy is pudgy and overweight and Jensen easily deals with him, sliding a foot under his legs and dragging him away when he lands on the ground. The other two guys come to their senses and run away before Jensen can deal with them. 

Jensen watches them retreat until a stifled groan draws his attention back to the huddled figure on the ground. 

It takes a second for him to fully process what - or rather  _ who  _ \- he's seeing. 

It's  _ Jared _ . 

+

Jensen doesn't believe in coincidences which is ironic. Growing up all he heard was that his parents were unlucky. They were the ones in that alleyway who got caught up in a gang shooting. It was a terrible coincidence that the  _ richest  _ couple in Darktown found themselves in an area with gang activity in the first place. 

It was all bullshit, words spoken to cover up the truth. 

When he was old enough to do his own investigation he realised that their driver deliberately dropped them off at the wrong place, forcing them to turn into that alley. The so-called gang activity was a diversion and convenient alibi for local mobster, Jim Beaver, who Jensen's father was instrumental in sending to jail. 

Jensen took care of him not long after he became Shadow-Man and now…

...he's faced with yet another coincidence.

"Was it wise to bring him here, sir?" Timothy asks when they're watching Jared sleep. He's lying in the medical area of Jensen's ShadowDen, hooked up to various monitoring devices present. He's fine, save for some bruises and scratches, but his injuries are the least of Jensen's concerns.

Either Jared was following him or he knows Dawn somehow, but what's certain is that...

"He  _ knows _ , Timothy. He knows that I'm Shadow-Man. Like, knows  _ knows.  _ He knew all this time and I played along like an idiot instead of doing my job. The question was always why he was so concerned to begin with. And why I listened to you."

Timothy's expression remains neutral, which usually means that he's at a loss for what to say. "For what it's worth, I think you enjoyed his company. That's not for nothing, Jensen."

Jensen's not so sure about that. 

+

Jared's groggy when he wakes up, but he seems to realise where he is fairly quickly. The ShadowDen is nothing like the rest of the house which is outdated due to Jensen reluctance to change anything. 

He didn't realise what lay beneath the house until he returned to Darktown with a new perspective on life. Suddenly, nothing was what it seemed and he realised that the broken Grandfather clock in his father's study was that way for a reason. 

It took him six attempts to figure out the code. 

17:27. 

The time that he was born. 

What he found beyond the door that opened was a set of narrow winding steps leading to a large underground space. Over time, and with the help of an old family friend that shared his vision of a safer Darktown, it became his safe haven. Now it's equipped with a super computer that rivals the NSA's, a personal gymnasium, a medical wing, plus hangar space for the WinG-Wagon and his other vehicles and a state of the art crime lab. 

Jared takes one look at the illuminated screens around him and says, "Fucking knew it. You  _ are  _ Shadow-Man!"

Jensen raises an eyebrow. "Are you even hurt?"

Jared sits up and seems to test out every muscle he has before his hands go up to the scratches on his face. 

"Think the scratch is the worst of it," Jared says before he quickly adds, "You lied to me."

Jensen swallows his anger and keeps his voice as level as possible. "For good reason. I can have people knowing what I do."

"I know. I just - well you know why I was so hell-bent on exposing you. You're wasting your time."

"I stopped you from getting your ass kicked," Jensen says. "Was that a waste of time?"

"I deserved that beatdown and we both know it. Almost got you killed remember?"

Jared's words are flippant, but his eyes tell a different story the way they always do. 

"Who hurt you?" Jensen asks. "Who sent those people?"

"Nobody." Jared's mouth is a thin line and his tone is dripping with bitterness. "Just forget about it!"

"Why are you so angry?" Jensen asks. 

"I don't know. I guess... people always let me down and I don't see the good anymore."

It's a lame attempt at diversion, but Jensen lets it play out. He stays still when Jared leans forward and kisses him, forcing himself not to respond because of how fucked up this is. 

Eventually, Jensen stops the kiss with a firm hand, turning his head when he pushes Jared back onto the bed. 

Jared doesn't take the rejection well. 

"C'mon, man, don't you ever let go? On that first day I met you, you were all for it."

"That was Jensen Ackles,  _ billionaire playboy _ . Heartbreaker extraordinaire. He wanted something from you. Tonight... you get me. The real me. The one that doesn't want anything but answers."

Jared laughs. "Dude, why are you acting like a sixteen year old on prom night?"

"I have work to do, Jared. Maybe you don't understand the concept. Either you tell me what you know or we're done talking."

Jared refuses to say another word. 

+

Ackles Manor has a large swimming pool. Once a week, Jensen makes it his mission to swim the length as many times as he can. It clears his head and tires him out enough that he actually gets a good night's sleep.

However, when he makes his way to the pool, he sees that Jared's already there. 

"Oh, Jensen! Timothy said it was okay for me to be here."

Of course he did. 

Timothy thinks it's amusing that Jared's gone from being a pain in the ass to an unemployed reporter who  _ wants  _ to get in his ass. 

Jensen finds it concerning. Not because he's worried about his safety, but because he researched Jared thoroughly enough to detect a pattern. Short term relationships that end with Jared skipping town. Jensen might be a playboy, but Jared's the definition of flighty. 

There's also the part where he still doesn't believe in coincidences.

"Jared, why are you here?"

"We're friends, right? You saved my life and graciously gave me a place to stay."

Technically, Timothy is letting him stay here. Jensen's spent the past three days licking his wounds and trying to make sense of everything. 

"So, you're done making moves on me?"

"Sure. I have pride, Jensen. I can go out and get some reciprocal dick no questions asked. Why would I keep on trying with you?"

"... because that's been your plan all along."

It's not been easy for Jensen to come to terms with how easily he was fooled, but it's obvious that Jared was where he was because he  _ knows  _ Dawn. 

Judging by the look on Jared's face, Jensen's finally stumbled upon the truth. 

Jensen's energy drains from his body like a deflating hot air balloon and suddenly, swimming is the last thing he wants to do. 

He turns on his heel, leaving Jared splashing messily behind him.

Jared follows Jensen back into the main house, leaving droplets of water in a trail behind him. 

"My plan was to what?" Jared asks when Jensen finally stops. 

"That night you were attacked, I was out looking for someone known as The Ostrich. She's a major crook who's been killing her competition down at the docks. She then sells Darktown's civilians the finest rotten fish she has to offer, while raking in big bucks by supplying overpriced quality fish to restaurants and catering companies."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"I have a theory that she hired a reporter to write a bunch of stories about Shadow-Man. I was probably bait. The dangling worm used to draw out the  _ real  _ Shadow-Man, but you figured it out. On that night, I was going to meet her at one of her warehouses and there you are - in the midst of getting attacked."

Jared shakes his head. "She didn't  _ hire  _ me. I... I was just trying to not get myself killed. I had no choice, Jensen."

Jared's still lying, not that it matters anyway. 

"Congratulations are in order. You're alive."

"Jensen---"

"You know, part of me knew there was something off about the whole situation, but I guess I wanted to believe that you were different."

Jared steps closer to him and grabs his shoulder. "I  _ am  _ different. I saved your ass. She was going to spring her goons on you - that's why I turned up to ward them off."

"It doesn't matter, Jared."

Jared's bare shoulders sink, like the fight has left him and he knows there's nothing else he can say. 

"What gave it away?" he asks. 

"You said you wanted a better job, yet you refused my offer. It was almost  _ too  _ easy to charm you - because you were doing the same thing to me and... you told me that Shadow-Man had enemies like you were  _ certain  _ of it. Oh and you tried to have sex with me after you were attacked - to distract me. That was the real cherry on top."

"I guess there's no getting anything past you, is there?"

Jensen smiles sadly. "I'm going to have Timothy escort you out. Have a nice life, Jared."

**_Three months later_ **

It's delivered to his office - a plain white envelope with his name written in messy handwritten letters. 

Inside there's a hotel key card and a note that says:  _ same room, same time.  _

Jensen drops the note onto his desk. A cook wave of annoyance washes over him because packed schedule or not, he knows that he's going to brush everything aside if it means he gets to see Jared one more time. 

+

When Jensen arrives at the hotel and makes his way to the room, he finds it empty save for a thick packet containing pages and pages of documents, call logs and text messages - all implicating The Ostrich. 

Given that Jensen's not been able to get the Commissioner to issue a warrant for arrest, this is big. There's enough in the documents to put her away for a long time. 

He's still sifting through when the door opens and Jared saunters in smelling like lavender and honey. 

He seems surprised to see Jensen. "You're early! I... figured I'd get my money's worth and get a massage. You should try it sometime."

Jensen's confused until he realises that he didn't book the room. He released it two months ago in an attempt to get over Jared. 

He ignores what Jared's words and holds up the documents. "What's all this?"

"Evidence you need to take down Dawn. I... I got everything I could. I... I felt so bad after we last spoke. I thought that I was doing better, but I realised that I was lying to myself."

"What's the truth?" Jensen asks him simply. There's no point in arguing, not when everything has been said and done. 

"The truth is that my family are a bunch of lowlifes, Jensen. I thought I'd do what they couldn't do, put myself through school and get a job, but... all I have to show for it is debt and a criminal history of my own. I'm no better. Worst of all, I hurt  _ you _ . Someone who's actually trying to make a difference."

Jensen grips the papers tighter, asking, "How did you wind up working for The Ostrich?"

Jared exhales messily, shoulders tense like their interaction is undoing the work of the massage. "I used to work at one of her grocery stores. The pay was shit, but I was desperate. Things were okay until I broke up with my ex. Suddenly, bills were piling up and I started skimming some cash from the registers. Not much, but enough that she noticed."

"And you lived to tell the tale?"

Jared's chuckle is humourless. "She took her dues one way and told me that I  _ still  _ owed her. I didn't hear from her again until after I got the job at the paper."

It makes sense. Clearly Dawn coerced Jared into doing her dirty work. However, the explanation changes nothing for Jensen. 

Not only is Jared is liar, he's a thief to boot. Jensen doesn't want to hear anymore. 

There's a long pause when Jensen doesn't reply and they stand in silence, eyes drawn to each other even though circumstance is keeping them apart. 

Eventually, Jared moves to gather his things. "Guess I'll be going. You can leave the key with the front desk."

Jensen doesn't stop him. 

+

"Sir, I thought you were attending the charity ball this evening?" Timothy is standing in the doorway of Jensen's bedroom with a freshly pressed tuxedo in his hands. 

Jensen's currently mulling over another episode of  _ Kitchen Nightmares _ or pulling on his Shadow-Man suit and doing a patrol of the city. 

Or going to sleep. 

He's definitely not interested in sipping champagne and being fake nice to people he can't stand at yet another event. 

"You take the rest of the night off, Tim. I'm going to turn in."

Timothy looks concerned. "Are you alright, Jensen?"

"I'm fine. I'll see you in the morning."

The truth is that Jensen's not fine. He  _ misses  _ Jared. The way his eyes practically close when he's laughing, the way he always asked annoying questions and the fact that he has an incorrigible sweet tooth. He misses their stupid dates, the endless back and forth about his secret identity. 

He misses the Jared that was his friend and if he's being honest... he misses the guy that became his enemy. He's gone over it in his mind and…

... Jared didn't leave him to fend for himself. When it really counted, he put himself in harm's way to stop Jensen from being ambushed. 

That has to count for something. 

+

Jensen tells Jared to come in through one of Ackles Manor's many side entrances and they make their way into the main part of the house. Jensen's in his robe and not much else, while Jared's dressed for the winter period, thick leather jacket and a woolly scarf draped over his chest. 

"Are you okay?" Jared asks. "I came as soon as I got your message. I wasn't expecting a clandestine tour of your house."

Jensen's mouth is dry and he's lost for words. He doesn't think  _ I asked you over here because I miss you  _ is the most romantic thing to say. 

Especially when he was the one who let Jared walk away from him. 

"Jensen." 

It hits Jensen then that he's forgotten how to  _ do  _ this, if he ever knew before. The last relationship he had was with his personal banker, Matt, who was kind of boring when he wasn't doing coke in bathrooms across Darktown. The sex wasn't great, but Jensen was in punishment mode back then too.

"You kept asking me why I stay in this house on my own and the truth is that I'm  _ angry. _ "

"Angry with who?"

"Myself, Jared. I... before I became Shadow-Man, I... I was in this organisation. I learned how to fight. How to be stealthy, how to be--"

"--be  _ Shadow-Man _ ?" Jared interjects. "I take it this was during your stay with relatives in California."

That's the official story for why Jensen went missing for six years. 

The real story is that he joined a group called The Dark Syndicate and channelled his anger into a cause that was supposed to be bigger than everything else. Making the world a better place, creating harmony and balance by eradicating crime and poverty.

Unfortunately, The Dark Syndicate had other ideas, namely biochemical warfare and the death and destruction of half of the world. When Jensen left, he made sure he brought the entire operation down to its knees. 

"I'm no better than you, Jared," Jensen says when he's done explaining some of what happened. He leaves out the worst parts because hearing them out loud would be too much even for him. "You worked with the Ostrich because you had no choice. I chose to do what I did."

"... and you've more than made up for it, Jensen. I don't know what you did out there, but I know what you're doing now and it's enough."

"Are you sure about that?" Jensen says. "It's not like anyone is overjoyed that I'm doing what I do."

Jared smiles suddenly. "I have about a ton of emails and letters that say otherwise. You weren't the only one who was mad about my articles. A lot of people are grateful that _someone_ is watching out for them."

Jensen's work as Shadow-Man has never been about the plaudits, but it warms his heart all the same.

+

With Timothy relieved of his duties, Jensen can only offer Jared a drink. Cooking has never been a priority and it's not like he can call  _ UberEats _ to the Manor. 

That leaves them with a bottle of tequila and the freshly baked cinnamon cookies Timothy buys once a week. He leads Jared to up to his suite and they lie on his bed and watch  _ Kitchen Nightmares _ .

It's  _ nice _ \- normal almost - and part of Jensen hates that this night is an anomaly. That when it's all over they'll go back to their vastly different lives. 

By the time the second episode is over he's done with watching Gordon Ramsey yell at people. He looks over at Jared and finds blue-green eyes already on him. 

"How long have you been looking at me?"

Jared's lips curl into a suggestive smirk. "Long enough. You want me to stop?"

"No…"

They're sitting shoulder to shoulder on Jensen's king sized bed and he can feel the way Jared tenses next to him. When Jared leans in to kiss him, Jensen doesn't pull away. Jared's lips brush against his gently, like a feather caressing skin and he relaxes into it. 

He can feel the warmth of Jared's skin, can taste the cinnamon on his mouth. Their lips move against each other languidly, like the chorus of a slow love song, smooth and steady like they have all the time in the world. Jared's hands curl around his neck pulling him in closer as he nibbles on Jensen's bottom lip, hard enough for Jensen to feel it but gentle enough that it drives him crazy. 

When they pull away, Jensen's breathless and completely ready to take things further. 

"Stay. Here. With me."

Jared leans in and plants a gentle kiss on his nose. "Wasn't planning on leaving, Jensen."

Things progress naturally from there and Jared shrugs off his shirt before he turns his attention to discarding Jensen's robe and pushing him down onto the bed slowly. Jensen reaches up and pulls Jared on top of him, laughing when their chests collide. They kiss for a few more minutes, trading lazy tongue kisses that leave Jared with dark, swollen lips that Jensen can barely take his eyes off. 

Jared presses chaste kisses along Jensen's neck, hands rubbing his nipples gently before he leans down to replace his fingers with his mouth, slowly tonguing the pink flesh as Jensen writhes beneath him. He gives the other nipple the same attention before he travels south, leaving a trail of wet kisses in his wake. He slides Jensen's pyjama pants off and nuzzles the bottom of his shaft before he sucks on the head gently. Jensen does his best not to move when Jared's mouth slides down further, his dark red cock disappearing past shiny pink lips. When Jared resurfaces, he's flushed and his chin is slick with precome and saliva. His hair is wild and crazy from Jensen's hands, but... he's never looked more beautiful than he does now. 

"Gonna come if you keep on doing that."

Jared pulls off him and strips the rest of his clothes. Jensen takes the time to pull out the lube and condoms. Jared wastes no time grabbing the tube and squeezing a healthy amount onto Jensen's fingers before he lies on his back and opens his legs in invitation. 

"Are you sure?" 

Jensen might be rusty, but he's still a gentleman. 

" _ Yes _ ," Jared all but snaps, "now get on with it."

Jensen wipes the beads of sweat around his eyes and pushes between Jared's legs, watching the way his throat convulses when he circles his hole with a slick finger. He crooks his finger and pushes in slowly, twisting and circling until he hits the right spot and Jared moans loudly. 

"Add another one."

Jensen does as he's told, adding a second finger, scissoring them together to open Jared up even more. Jared's cock is leaking with precome, body writhing and glistening with perspiration when he adds another finger. He leans forward and covers Jared's body with his own and kisses him messily, revelling in the taste of his lips and the smell of his skin.

By the time Jared's hands are digging into his ass, Jensen's nerve endings are on fire and he can't wait any longer. Neither can Jared judging by the urgency of his grip.

"Fuck me," he says, voice low with lust.

Jensen doesn't need to be told twice and he shifts upwards and moves so that his cock is pressed against Jared's hole, teasing him slightly when he rubs the head against the puckered skin. Jared shudders beneath him and Jensen takes that opportunity to slide into him slowly, inch by inch until his balls drawn up tight against Jared's ass. 

Jensen swivels his hips and slides back out bracing himself for a few seconds before he slams back in, quickly building up a rhythm that's fast and dirty. Sweat drops into Jensen's eyes but he barely registers it all he can process is the way Jared feels and the tightness and heat that's encasing him.

Jared's soft groans punctuate Jensen's thrusts and wraps Jared's legs tighter around him so he can slip in deeper, sliding in and out and revelling in how good it feels. Jared comes like that, body convulsing as Jensen's thrusts become shallow and his fingers dig into Jensen's skin as he climaxes with a loud groan, shuddering his release. Jensen follows soon after, his mouth on Jared's as he comes.

+

They finally come up for air two hours later. Jared's lying next to him under his satin covers, stroking his chest and tracing invisible patterns onto his skin. 

"I've finally made it in life," Jared announces into the silence. "I just had sex with a card carrying member of the billionaire playboy club."

Jared's joking, but Jensen needs to make one thing clear. 

"I don't bring people back here. Not ever. Especially not into my personal space. If I need to fuck someone or get fucked, I do it at the Vista. Not here."

"Why am I here then?"

It's a good question and one that Jensen knew he'd have to answer when he asked Jared to come over. 

Unfortunately, none of the answers he ran through while he waited for Jared to arrive provide him with any clarity so...he decides to wing it. 

"I don't know. I... I think that maybe I need you. And you need me."

Jared rubs at his chest and presses a chaste kiss to his neck. "Anyone ever tell you that you have a way with words?"

"Anyone ever tell you that you're a smartass who knows how to cheapen the moment?"

Jensen feels Jared's smile before he sees it. "You just did."

There's a pause before Jared continues, with more sincerity in his tone. 

"I do need you. I... like you. A lot. To the point where I don't care if Dawn finds me if it means that she never gets to you. I'd take another beatdown if I needed to."

That thought sends a cold stab of fear through Jensen's spine and he turns around so that they're facing each other. "You're only saying that because you know I'd save you, right?"

Jared leans forward and kisses him, long and deep, in no hurry to answer the question. 

Eventually, he traces Jensen's lips with the pad of his thumb and whispers, "You've already saved me."

**SHADOW-MAN REVEALED?**

_ Well, not quite.  _

_ I did notice, however, that Jensen Ackles attended the annual Ackles Foundation Gala with none other than Jared Padalecki, the original writer of this column, last night.  _

_ I'll file this under 'things that make you go hmm' for now.  _

_ In the meantime, someone out there owes me fifty bucks. _

+

Jensen almost chokes on his bran flakes when he sees a familiar heading current issue of The Darktown Herald. 

He looks up at where Jared's spreading a ridiculous amount of honey onto his toast. 

"Is this your doing?" Jensen asks him. 

Jared's eyes narrow with confusion and he pulls the paper towards him and scans the article quickly and sucks his teeth. "Son of a bitch."

Jensen looks at him. "What? What is it?"

Jared's face takes on an annoyed expression. "Couple of people at the paper were convinced that I had a hard on for you. Bet me fifty bucks that I'd end up sleeping with you at least  _ once _ after we started hanging out. I guess me accompanying you last night was all the proof that they needed."

Last night was... interesting to say the least. For once, Jensen's disappearing act during an event was nothing to do with Shadow-Man. He stifles a laugh when he recalls them defiling a desk made out of the finest oak Jensen's seen since he commissioned his office remodel. 

Jensen chuckles. "I think you owe that person a heck of a lot more than fifty bucks. Matter of fact, we might need to add another fifty to that."

"I  _ just  _ got dressed," Jared protests, like that's stopped either of them before. "I'm going to be late for work."

"Luckily for you, your boss is a very understanding man."

Jared's new job is writing about the good people and things in Darktown - part of a heritage project Jensen is running that'll (hopefully) make people proud to be Darktownians. 

Jared rolls his eyes, but he's smiling and Jensen feels that weird tug in his chest, the one that always seems to scream  _ I want you always _ . 

Since he returned to Darktown, Jensen's only ever cared about protecting people and fulfilling a legacy and somehow, he lost himself. He thought that happiness was something he didn't get to have. 

Until Jared. 

"I love you," he blurts without thinking. "Or, I guess I'm in love with you. Like, crazy in love with you."

Jared freezes initially, but Jensen feels his apprehension fade when their eyes meet. 

"I love you too, Jensen. Or, I guess I'm crazy in love with you too. Now take off your pants so we can have sex and then get to work."

Jensen's bark of laughter escapes before he can rein it back in. "I ever tell you that you know how to cheapen the moment?"

"All the time," Jared says while he's loosening his tie. "Is Timothy still in the Maldives? I think he threatened to gouge his eyes out the last time he walked in on us"

Jensen mods. "Yeah. He's not back until tomorrow."

"I guess we can do this here then." 

A year ago, Jensen would never find himself backed up against his breakfast bar while his boyfriend grinds on him, but now….

He wouldn't have it any other way. 

+

It turns out that Jensen doesn't have to pick being in love over being a hero. 

He can do both. 

Fin. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!! xo


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